Quote of note:

Combs suffered lacerations on the left side of his head, two fractures near his eye, deep tissue bruises on his back, and has vision trouble. He was working at Home Depot at the time of his arrest, but has been unemployed since the incident, Lewis said.

Violent traffic stop was taped
A Davie police officer is under investigation after allegations that he used excessive force during a September traffic stop.
By NATALIE P. McNEAL

Davie police are investigating a claim that an undercover detective used excessive force on a driver after following him for a DUI traffic stop.

The arrest seven months ago of Stephen Combs, 52, was caught on his brother's outside surveillance camera.

The incident unfolded when Detective Matthew Drake, in civilian clothes and driving an unmarked car, spotted Combs driving a red, two-door 1992 Toyota south on Hiatus Road.

Drake, who later said he flipped on his blue emergency lights, followed Combs' car, which would not stop.

On Monday, Combs' attorney, Jim Lewis, invited the media to his Fort Lauderdale office and played a videotape showing Drake wrestling Combs to the ground, punching him more than once, then dragging his limp body across a driveway. Lewis said his client was knocked unconscious.

Lewis said Combs suffered lacerations on the left side of his head, two fractures near his eye, deep tissue bruises on his back, and has vision trouble. He was working at Home Depot at the time of his arrest, but has been unemployed since the incident, Lewis said.

Police charged Combs with DUI, resisting arrest with violence, failure to stop at a stop sign and improper U-turn.

`SERIOUS INJURIES'

''He doesn't deserve to get treated like this,'' Lewis said. ``This person has serious injuries. What this officer did to Mr. Combs is unconscionable.''

According to Drake's report, he first spotted Combs driving erratically at State Road 84 and Hiatus Road. At one point, Combs made a sudden turn in front of Drake's car, causing the detective to swerve off the roadway.

The detective said he activated his emergency lights and started following Combs, who ran three stop signs, crossed double lines, entered northbound lanes and caused another car to drive off the road to avoid a collision.

When Combs finally stopped in front of his brother's home in the 1500 block of Southwest 119th Terrace, ''he stumbled to the ground,'' according to the report.

Combs was loud and aggressive and tried to fight, said Drake, who said he identified himself as a Davie police officer. Drake wrote that he smelled alcohol.

Drake admitted in a deposition to dragging and hitting Combs, but said Combs was never unconscious.

POOL PARTY

Lewis said his client had a couple of beers at a pool party but was not drunk. Combs, who lives in Hollywood, was driving to his brother's Davie home.

Combs said Drake did not identify himself as an officer, Lewis said.

Lewis said Combs never saw a flashing blue light and may have thought Drake was approaching him as a ''road rage case'' for cutting him off earlier.